Hearty, Healthy Grain Dishes

Kasha Varnitchkes is a classic Jewish dish of buckwheat groats combined with pasta. I’m not sure that bow tie pasta (farfalle) has always been the traditional choice, but it’s the contemporary favorite. If you’re a kasha fan, you’ll enjoy this simple dish; it doesn’t set of any flavor fireworks, but it’s easy and comforting, like many an Eastern European specialty. Photos by Evan Atlas.

Kasha, or toasty brown buckwheat groats, is a grain that’s popular in Eastern European cuisines. It’s one of a kind of food that you feel strongly about one way or another, as their flavor and aroma are strong and distinct. If you’re a kasha fan, you’ll enjoy this simple dish. Kasha is highly compatible with onions and mushrooms, which are in abundance here.

This is a dish that is on my ‘I have nothing in the fridge’ or ‘I have no time to cook‘ or ‘I want something healthy that my kid will love‘ recipe roster. It’s something that I have been cooking for years and is still a family favorite. I love the simplicity of it, and the versatility. If you don’t have chickpeas, go ahead and use white navy beans or kidney beans. If you don’t have spinach, use collard greens or kale. Recipe and photos contributed by Sophia Zergiotis ofLove and Lentils.more→

Mushrooms and barley are a match made in culinary heaven. Best known for their pairing in comforting soups, they make an equally good duo in this hearty side dish, embellished with lots of onion and fresh dill. Brown mushrooms yield a richer flavor than white, so give them a try. Photos by Evan Atlas.more→

Filling and hearty, the lemony flavor and the slender green beans give this bulgur dish a fresh flavor. It’s ideal to make when fresh slender green beans are on the market. That’s quite a fleeting moment, so feel free to substitute whole organic baby green beans when good fresh ones are unavailable. Serve with a colorful salad and some corn on the cob for a simple meal. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky. more→

Are you ready to try a deliciously different grain? Farro, a longstanding favorite in Italian cuisine has made quite a comeback. A hardy, whole variety of wheat, it has a great flavor and is a nice alternative to brown rice. Soaking farro overnight (or all day) makes it cook up quicker and creamier. This Farrotto is a heartier, whole grain cousin to risotto. Recipe and photo contributed by Ellen Kanner.